The models on display at the Emilia-Romagna Region Headquarters in Bologna

After its premiere at the Bologna Technopole during ART CITY Bologna 2025, The Models—an interactive audiovisual installation developed by the London-based duo dmstfctn and curated by Sineglossa—will be exhibited at the headquarters of the Emilia-Romagna Region (Viale A. Moro 44, mezzanine floor, Bologna). The exhibition is promoted by the General Directorate for Knowledge, Work and Enterprises and the Cultural Heritage Department of the Emilia-Romagna Region.

The Models stems from a challenge launched by Sineglossa on the topic of fake news—a theme that has resurfaced recently following Meta’s announcement of its intention to remove fact-checking from its platforms. Can conspiracy theories be countered by the sense of wonder created by artists? The challenge draws inspiration from the thesis presented in the book Q Anon: A Short History of Conspiracy by Wu Ming, which suggests that such fantasies spread because humans are more captivated by awe-inspiring narratives than by scientific texts or reports.

Starting from this idea, dmstfctn set out to combine wonder and truth in an installation that draws from the cultural heritage of the museums of the Emilia-Romagna Region. The work features digital masks animated using a 3D engine, capable of improvising an endless series of theatrical sketches in the style of Commedia dell’Arte. These performances are driven by AI models developed by the artists using the Leonardo supercomputer—models that, through texts inspired by classical archetypes, bring to life characters who conspire, fabricate truths, spread rumors, or make absurd mistakes.

These characters embody the behavioral tendencies of large language models: sometimes deceptive and adversarial, at other times overly friendly or servile. Equipped with synthetic voices via text-to-audio technology, the masks react to audience input. Visitors can interact with the installation using their smartphones, introducing props representing superstitions and conspiracy theories to influence and steer the improvisation.

The Models is produced in collaboration with CINECA, ART-ER, and the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, under the patronage of the Emilia-Romagna Region and the Bruno Kessler Foundation, within the European Digital Deal project cofunded by Creative Europe programme of the European Union.